Monthly Archives: September 2012

Hard to believe we’re nearing the end of Gearing Up to Get An Agent, hosted by Deana Barnhart. She’s been an amazing host and I hope she can host this again next year.

Today, there were two windows for the Small Press Contest. I managed to snag one spot in the afternoon round, which can be difficult since she doesn’t open many spots. Be sure to watch here for the link to my entry, which should be posted by Monday.

And be sure to visit her blog and read all of the amazing entries from the Agent Pitch contest and to see what GUTGAA is all about.

Both contests are great for getting a writer out of their usual boxes and making them think about stories they might not have otherwise. Last week, I won an Honorable Mention in Thursday Threads, which thrilled me to no end; I don’t win anything very often. This week, I participated in Menage Monday. I was shocked to wake up this morning and see that I’m taken the title of “Champ” for this week! Here is my winning story:

Looking around, Medusa blinked; the road to nothing seemed to be exactly that. The pieces of tumbleweed rolling lazily across the highway should’ve been a clue, she supposed. Sighing, she pressed the accelerator a little harder; she didn’t want to miss Sunday dinner with her mother.

Naturally, they had cautioned her about taking the back roads. But the interstate was so boring and she liked the scenic route. This time, the scenic route was less scene and more ‘I’m going to be late’. Her ringing phone emphasized this point; it was her mother.

Hanging up, she smiled, hurrying around the curve and finally saw the sights of home in the distance.

“Shit.” Looking in her rearview mirror, she spotted a state patrolman and pulled over. She started thinking of her defense, then smiled. Straightening the snakes she called hair, she put on her most charming smile and rolled down her window.

“Hell—“ thunk. The officer fell, completely turned to stone. Smiling, Medusa rolled up her window and continued home; that was the fifth speeding ticket she’d gotten out of this week.

199 Words

(c) Aightball 2012

Head over the contest page to see the awesome, shiny badge I won and to check out other contests =).

I’ve seen a lot of people lately talking about how they became a writer and it made me think about my journey. And I wondered about others as well.

I became a writer around the age of twelve. Prior to that, when I was in second grade, my church had an essay contest. I won the big prize of $5 and got to read my winning essay to the entire church. Being from a small town, the audience was small, but it kind of made me think I liked writing.

When I got into the sixth grade, however, I really got bit by the writing bug. It’s all thanks to my teacher, Mrs. Greeley. She complimented my writing in her English class and it really struck me; someone liked my writing. As I went through jr. high school and eventually high school, I kept writing. To this day, I have stacks upon stacks of old story notebooks (I’m old, for you young readers, lol!). My first “book” was written on a typewriter, with a black pen, and on an old Apple IIe at school. I even submitted it to a publishing house. *facepalm* I wish I could find that old rejection letter, because it was actually a very kind rejection.

Then, I entered college and put the brakes on a for a while. After graduation, the brakes wouldn’t let up. Then, in 2007 I became an Avenged Sevenfold fan. That next year, I wrote my first novel in years; it took me exactly 11 months. And I thought I had the best thing since sliced bread.

*cue laughter*

Okay, it needed work. A LOT of work. And a sequel. But I’d written it. I had broken free of the writer’s block that had gripped me for two years or more. And it was a huge breakthrough. I started writing fanfic to get my creative brain going. Eventually, I created my own characters and gave them their own book.

Now, writing is almost all I do. I read when I can, I listen to a ton of music, and I’m back in school for the third (and hopefully last) time. I have researched the process of getting published and am finally following my dream of becoming a writer. It’s going to take time, it’s not going to be an easy road, but every pair of eyes that sees my novel in is a step forward. And all the critiques I get on it help, too. Eventually, I’ll find that perfect agent who loves and understands my book.